Scorpion
Scorpion Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3. In video games "Scorpion" is the code name of the ninja named Hanzo Hasashi, formerly one of the Shirai Ryu's finest warriors,1 who became a hellspawned revenant residing in the Netherrealm underworld and seeking vengeance against those responsible for the destruction of his clan and the death of his family. Although essentially neutral in allegiance, Scorpion will ally with anyone who can assist his plans of revenge. He was once manipulated by Quan Chi, whom he promised his life in exchange for his impressive combat abilities in order to defeat Sub-Zero. Since Scorpion is a spectre, sorcery and supernatural anomalies have proven effective against him in battle, although none of them had served to destroy him. Scorpion is introduced in the first Mortal Kombat game as a dead warrior who enters into the Mortal Kombat tournament to kill Sub-Zero, the man who killed him. Scorpion manages to kill his target, but later learns that Sub-Zero plans to compete in the second tournament. Enraged at the idea that his nemesis has somehow returned, Scorpion tracks him down during the tournament. He realizes that this Sub-Zero was actually his killer's younger brother, who was sent to complete his brother's failed mission of assassinating the tournament's host Shang Tsung. As a result, Scorpion vows to serve as the new Sub-Zero's guardian in atonement for killing his older brother. He also appears as a boss character in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (set during the events of Mortal Kombat II), as he tries to kill the protagonists Liu Kang and Kung Lao. He appears in both masked and unmasked forms (the latter being named "Inferno Scorpion"). Scorpion returns to the series in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 when Shao Kahn tries to conquer the Netherealm after his invasion of Earth and enlisted the ninja in his forces. Scorpion's allegiance to Kahn quickly dissolved when he discovered that Sub-Zero was one of Earth's chosen warriors, with whom he then sided in their final showdown with Kahn. In Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Scorpion is only a boss character, appearing twice through the game. Scorpion is enlisted by Quan Chi to find a map hidden in a Shaolin temple, a task also given to Sub-Zero. After Scorpion is killed by Sub-Zero, he again attempts to kill Sub-Zero in the Netherrealm. In Mortal Kombat 4 he is tricked by Quan Chi to believe that the younger Sub-Zero was actually involved in the deaths of his family and clan and joins Quan Chi. Scorpion emerges victorious against the new Sub-Zero, but when Quan Chi reveals afterward the truth, Scorpion grabs the sorcerer to send him to the Netherealm. In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Scorpion is attacked by the Oni Drahmin and Moloch, who free the sorcerer from the Netherealm. Scorpion continues hunting Quan Chi and eventually meets the Elder Gods, who give him a new mission to seek and destroy Onaga before he would unmake the realms during the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception. In the Konquest mode of Armageddon, Scorpion makes a deal with the Elder Gods to serve them in exchange for the resurrection of the Shirai Ryu clan, along with the resurrection of his wife and son. However, the Elder Gods resurrect them as undead beings. Enraged, Scorpion seeks to destroy the Elder Gods' chance of preventing Armageddon by taking Blaze's power that was meant for Taven or Daegon, but Taven defeats him and Scorpion is later killed by Sub-Zero in battle. In Shaolin Monks, however, he is not only a boss but also a playable character for both versus and story modes (Scorpion's movesets in this game are largely identical to Liu Kang's with some original techniques).2 In the 2011 Mortal Kombat title, Scorpion reprises his role from the first tournaments. He serves Quan Chi, unaware that the sorcerer is the true murderer of his family, and kills Sub-Zero despite Raiden's negotiations with him to revive his clan. Scorpion also appears in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, participating in the war between the two titular series. In addition to the MK series, Scorpion has made appearances in four other Midway games: NBA Jam Tournament Edition, MLB Slugfest: Loaded, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy and The Grid.